Loading a Socket and/or Adapter Device with a Semiconductor Component

ABSTRACT

A process, device and a mechanism for loading a socket and/or adapter device with a semiconductor component is disclosed. The mechanism has a device, in particular a mechanical device, for instance an appropriate attachment, for opening the socket and/or adapter device.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/012,715, which was filed Dec. 16, 2004, which application claimspriority to German Application No. 103 59 648.8, which was filed Dec.18, 2003. Both of these applications are incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a socket and/or adapter device, in particularfor testing a semiconductor component, loaded into the socket and/oradapter device, and to an apparatus and a process for loading a socketand/or adapter device with a corresponding semiconductor component, andto a precision alignment device to be used in a corresponding procedure.

BACKGROUND

Semiconductor components, for instance corresponding integrated (analogand/or digital) computer circuits, semiconductor memory components, forinstance functional memory components (PLAs, PALs, etc.) and tablememory components (e.g., ROMs or RAMs, in particular SRAMs and DRAMs)are subjected to extensive testing during the manufacturing process.

For the simultaneous, combined manufacture of numerous (generallyidentical) semiconductor components, a so-called wafer (i.e., a thindisk of monocrystalline silicon) is used.

The wafer is appropriately treated (for instance subjected in successionto numerous coating, exposure, etching, diffusion and implantationprocess steps, etc.), and then for instance sliced up (or scored andsnapped off), so instance sliced up (or scored and snapped off), so thatthe individual components become available.

After the wafer has been sliced up (and/or scored and snapped off) the,individually available components, are each individually loaded intospecial housings or packages (for instance, so-called TSOP or FBGAhousings etc.) and then, by means of appropriate trays, transported to acorresponding further station, especially a test station (and/or insuccession to several other test stations).

The above test station may for instance be a so-called “burn-in” testingstation (at which, by creating extreme conditions (for instanceincreased temperatures) artificial aging of the components is caused) inparticular a “burn-in” test station, at which the so-called burn-in testprocedure is performed, i.e., a test done under extreme conditions (forinstance increased temperature, for instance above 80° or 100° C.,increased operational voltage, etc.).

At the (test) station each individual component, present in theabove-mentioned housings, is loaded into a corresponding adapter and/orsocket, connected to a corresponding test apparatus and then thecomponent in each housing is tested.

Loading the (burn-in) adapter and/or socket with a component to betested can be done with the help of one or several appropriate loadingapparatuses (“loaders”).

For doing this, a grabber device, for instance a loader head, providedat an appropriate loading apparatus (loader), can be provided with apartial vacuum, with the help of which a component can be removed from atray and then, by means of an appropriate (for instance a swiveling orshifting) motion of the grabber device and/or the “loader head”,positioned above a so-called precision alignment device.

Then the component positioned above the precision alignment device canbe dropped by the loader of the grabber device, by reducing the vacuum,into one of the recesses provided with appropriate tapered guidingplanes on the precision alignment device.

By means of the tapered guiding planes it can be achieved that thecomponent and/or component housing is (pre- or coarsely) aligned bybeing dropped into the corresponding precision alignment recess.

Next the component can again be removed by the above loading apparatus(and/or by any additional loading apparatus) from the recess provided inthe precision alignment device (for instance by creating a partialvacuum at the grabber device and/or the loader head provided at theabove or at any additional loading apparatus).

Then the component can be positioned above a corresponding (burn-in)adapter and/or socket by means of an appropriate (for instance aswiveling or shifting) motion of the grabber device and/or the loaderhead.

Conventional (burn-in) adapters and/or sockets may for instance consistof a base element and a cover (“lid”), which is adjustable in a verticaldirection in relation to the base element by means of correspondingspring sections attached to the base element.

By appropriate downward pressure on the adapter and/or socket cover, theadapter and/or socket can be “opened”, whereafter the componentsuspended above the adapter and/or socket by the above loader thegrabber device can be dropped into the adapter and/or socket by reducingthe vacuum.

Appropriate tapered guiding planes can be provided inside the adapterand/or socket, for the purpose of aligning the component and/or thecomponent housing when it falls into the adapter.

When the adapter and/or the socket cover is then released again, it isforced upwards by the above-mentioned spring sections, whereby it isachieved that connections provided on the corresponding component(and/or component housing) make contact with connections provided on thecorresponding adapter and/or socket, i.e., until the adapter and/orsocket is “closed” so that the above test procedure can then beperformed on the component.

In the manufacture/testing of semiconductor components theabove-mentioned (burn-in) adapters and/or sockets are usually requiredin relatively large numbers.

Conventional (burn-in) adapters and/or sockets are relatively expensive,due to the costly precision engineering of basic socket components andcovers, which is needed to avoid faulty contacts between component(and/or component housings) and adapters and/or socket connections.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention discloses a socket and/or adapter device, in particularfor semiconductor components, as well as a novel apparatus and a novelprocess for loading a socket and/or adapter device with a correspondingsemiconductor component.

In one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus, especially a loaderhead, is provided for loading a socket and/or adapter device with asemiconductor component, whereby the apparatus includes a device,especially a mechanical device, for opening the socket and/or adapterdevice.

Particularly advantageously the device includes one or more appropriateattachments, such as attachments provided with one or more correspondingtapered planes.

Advantageously the device is designed such that when the apparatus ismoved towards the socket and/or adapter device, contacts and/or latchesprovided at the socket and/or adapter device are opened by the device,in particular the attachments.

In a preferred embodiment the socket and/or adapter device will have nocover and/or lid.

Particularly advantageously the function assumed by a correspondingcover in conventional socket and/or adapter devices is taken over by theapparatus, in particular by the above-mentioned device.

In another embodiment the socket and/or adapter device, in particularthe socket contacts and/or latches, are directly opened by the device(without a socket and/or adapter cover being provided at all).

By dispensing with a socket and/or adapter cover the socket and/oradapter device can be produced considerably more simply and cheaply thanconventional sockets and/or adapter devices.

In this way the total cost of manufacturing and/or testing ofsemiconductor components can be reduced.

In addition, by dispensing with the socket and/or adapter cover thecirculation of air in the “burn-in” station (which is adversely affectedin conventional socket and/or adapter devices by the socket and/oradapter covers provided) can be improved.

In this way any unintended excessive heating of semiconductor componentsloaded into the corresponding socket and/or adapter in the “burn in”station can be prevented, which, when conventional socket and/or adapterdevices are used, can lead to damage to or destruction of thesemiconductor components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in detail below with reference to exemplaryembodiments and the attached drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows various stations passed through during the manufacture ofcorresponding semiconductor components;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective representation of the grabber device of theloading machine used in the “burn-in” test system shown in FIG. 1, of atray and a precision alignment device;

FIG. 3 shows a view from below of the grabber device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the grabber device shown in FIGS. 2 and3, and the precision alignment device alignment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective representation of the grabber device, and ofan adapter and/or socket; and

FIG. 6 shows a highly simplified representation of a grabber deviceattachment shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, a contact operating device, and aV-shaped socket contact, at closed and open settings of the socketcontact.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, some stations A, B, C, D (of several further stations notshown here) passed through by the corresponding semiconductor components3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d during the manufacture of the semiconductorcomponents 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d are schematically represented.

Station A serves to subject the semiconductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c,3 d, still present on a silicon disk or wafer 2, to one or more testprocedures (for instance by means of an appropriate test system, such asa test apparatus 6 and a semiconductor component test card and/or probecard 8 (which has been provided with contact pins 9 for contactingcorresponding contacts on the semiconductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3d)).

At stations not shown here and upstream from the stations A, B, C, Dshown in FIG. 1, the wafer 2 has been subjected to conventional coating,exposure, etching, diffusion and implantation process steps etc.

The semiconductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d may be integrated(analog and/or digital) computer circuits, or semiconductor memorycomponents, for instance functional memory components (i.e., PLAs, PALs,etc.), and table memory components, (for instance ROMs or RAMs), inparticular SRAMs or DRAMs (here for instance DRAMs (Dynamic RandomAccess Memories and/or Dynamic Read-Write Memories) with double datarate (DDR DRAMs=Double Data Rate-DRAMs), preferably high-speed DDRDRAMs.

When the test procedure has been successfully completed at station A,wafer 2 is (fully automatically) transported to the next station B (seearrow F), where (after wafer 2 has had foil glued to it in a recognizedfashion) it is sliced up by means of an appropriate machine 7 (or forinstance scored and snapped off), so that the individual semiconductorcomponents 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d become available.

After wafer 2 has been sliced up at station B, the components 3 a, 3 b,3 c, 3 d are then (again fully automatically, for instance by means ofan appropriate conveyer machine) transported to the next test station(here a loading station C) for instance directly (and/or individually)or alternatively by means of a tray (see arrow G).

At the loading station C the components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d are, eachindividually, loaded in fully automatic fashion into correspondinghousings 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d and/or packages (see arrows Ka, Kb, Kc,Kd), with the help of machine 10 (loading machine) and the housings 11a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d are then closed, in recognized fashion, so that thesemiconductor component contacts provided on the semiconductorcomponents 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d make contact with corresponding housingcontacts provided at each housing 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d.

Conventional TSOP housings or for instance conventional FBGA housings,etc., may be used for the housings 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d.

Next, the housings 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d, together with thesemiconductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d, again fully automatically,for instance by means of a corresponding conveyer, and whereappropriate, by using a corresponding tray 17 (for instance one shown inFIG. 2) are conveyed to a further station D, for instance a testingstation (see arrow H), and/or in succession to several further stations,especially testing stations (not shown here).

Station D (or one or several of the above further stations, not shownhere) may be, for example, a so-called “burn-in” station, especially aburn-in testing station.

At the burn-in station artificial aging of the components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c,3 d is caused by extreme conditions (for instance increasedtemperatures) being generated.

Additionally one or several burn-in test procedures can be performed atthe burn-in station, i.e., tests done under extreme conditions (forinstance increased temperatures, for instance above 80° C. or above 100°C., and/or increased operating voltages, etc.).

At station D the housings 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d, as is more closelydescribed below, are loaded with the help of one or more appropriatemachines (for instance a loading machine 13, “loader”) (and whereappropriate, a further loading machine (a “loader”, not shown here))into specially designed “coverless” (burn-in) sockets and/or (burn-in)adapters 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d.

The loading machine 13 (and correspondingly also the further loadingmachine, where provided) has, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a grabberdevice and/or a loader head 13 a.

To load a (burn-in) socket and/or (burn-in) adapter 12 a with acorresponding component 3 a and/or component-housing 11 a, the grabberdevice 13 a is first positioned, for example, as shown in FIG. 2,directly above the corresponding tray 17 (and/or more accurately:directly above the corresponding component 3 a and/or component housing11 a), similar to conventional loading machines, whereupon a suitablevacuum is created at the grabber device and/or the loader head 13 a(and/or more accurately: below the grabber device and/or the loader head13 a).

In this way the component 3 a, arranged in a corresponding housing 11 aand lying on tray 17 (similarly constructed to conventional trays) ismoved upwards in the direction of arrow N, as shown in FIG. 2, andfirmly held by the underside 13 b of the grabber device 13 a, as shownin FIG. 3, (essentially in the middle of several centering devices 18 a,18 b, 18 c, 18 d, more accurately described below) i.e., the component 3a is removed from tray 17.

Next, by means of an appropriate movement (for instance swiveling orshifting) of the grabber device 13 a and/or the loader head 13 a (forinstance first upwards in the direction of the arrow M shown in FIG. 2,and then laterally in the direction of the arrow L shown in FIG. 2,etc.), the grabber device 13 a, together with the component 3 a and/orcomponent housing 11 a held at the underside 13 b of the grabber device13 a, by the vacuum being maintained, is positioned above the precisionalignment device 19, shown to the right in FIG. 2, (more accurately:above a centering recess 22 of the precision alignment device 19).

The precision alignment device 19 is similarly constructed toconventional precision alignment devices, yet has been provided, asshown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, with several centering holes 20 a, 20 b, 20c, 20 d on the underside 13 b of the grabber device 13 a for receivingthe above centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d.

The centering holes 20 a, 20 b, 20 c, 20 d are essentially circular insection and reach, with an essentially constant inside diameter,partially or completely downwards through the whole precision alignmentdevice 19 in a vertical direction from the upper side of the precisionalignment device 19.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 dprovided on the grabber device 13 a reach vertically downwards from theunderside of the grabber device. Each of the centering devices 18 a, 18b, 18 c, 18 d (here: four, alternatively for instance two or three,etc.) has, as is for instance apparent from FIG. 3 when seen from below,an essentially circular cross section.

As shown in FIG. 4, the vertical axes of the centering devices 18 a, 18b, 18 c, 18 d, running centrally through the conical sections of thecentering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d, are, when the grabber device13 a has been correspondingly aligned, in alignment with the centralvertical axes of the corresponding centering openings 20 a, 20 b, 20 c,20 d of the precision alignment device 19.

The inside diameter of each centering opening 20 a, 20 b, 20 c, 20 d isessentially identical to the maximum outside diameter of thecorresponding conical sections 21 b of each centering device 18 a, 18 b,18 c, 18 d (at the top end of the corresponding conical sections 21 b),i.e., the outside diameter of the corresponding cylindrical sections 21a of each of the centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, and/or 18 d issomewhat smaller.

The grabber device 13 a and/or the loader head 13 a is supported on a“floating” bearing in relation to the other parts of the loading machine13.

When the grabber device 13 a is moved from the position shown at the topright-hand side in FIG. 2, i.e., from above the precision alignmentdevice 19 (and/or above the centering recess 22 of the precisionalignment device 19), in the direction of the arrow O, verticallydownwards, to for instance the position shown in FIG. 4 (or even furtherdownwards), the centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 b, 18 c (and/or theirconical sections 21 b) provided on the underside of the grabber device13 a, are inserted into each corresponding centering opening 20 a, 20 b,20 c, 20 d of the precision alignment device 19.

Due to the above-mentioned “floating” bearing of the grabber device 13 a(i.e., due to its lateral flexibility) the grabber device 13 a, not yetaccurately centered and/or aligned in relation to the precisionalignment device 19 and/or its centering-recess 22, is centered and/oraligned (i.e., moved slightly laterally as shown by the arrows Q and Rin FIG. 2 so that once the centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 b, 18 c havebeen inserted into each of the corresponding centering openings 20 a, 20b, 20 c, 20 d, the central axes a of the centering devices 18 a, 18 b,18 b, 18 c coincide with the corresponding central axes a of thecentering openings 20 a, 20 b, 20 c, 20 d of the precision alignmentdevice 19.)

The component 3 a and/or component-housing 11 a, suspended above theprecision alignment device 19 and/or its centering recess 22, is thendropped into the centering recess 22 by the grabber device 13 a (forinstance arrow P in FIGS. 2 and 4) by releasing the vacuum.

The centering recess has, as is for instance shown in FIG. 4, taperedsides 22 a, 22 b.

The tapered sides 22 a, 22 b run at an angle downwards and inwards fromthe inside edges of the centering recess 22 on the upper side of theprecision alignment device 19.

At a lower point inside the centering recess 22 the dimensions of thecentering-recess 22 essentially correspond with the dimensions ofcomponent 3 a and/or component housings 11 a (for instance the width, asshown in FIG. 4, of the centering recess 22 in the above-mentioned lowerpoint essentially corresponds with the width of component 3 a and/or thecomponent-housing 11 a, and the length of the centering recess 22essentially corresponds with the length of the component 3 a and/orcomponent housing 11 a).

By means of the guiding tapers 22 a, 22 b it can be achieved thatcomponent 3 a and/or the component housing 11 a and thereby also thegrabber device 13 a is appropriately aligned and/or centered in relationto the precision alignment device 19 (i.e., moved slightly in a lateraldirection when falling into the centering recess 22, so that when, afterfalling into the centering recess 22, the central axis a of thecomponent 3 a and/or component housing 11 a coincides with thecorresponding central axis b of the centering recess 22).

Next the grabber device 13 a of the above loading machine 13 (or, forexample, a grabber device of an additional loading machine, if provided,such as the one mentioned above) for instance at the setting of thegrabber device 13 a shown in FIG. 4, or at a setting in which thegrabber device 13 a has been moved even further downwards until theunderside 13 b of the grabber device 13 a touches the component 3 aand/or component housing 11 a, can again remove the component 3 a and/orcomponent-housing 11 a from the centering recess 22 provided in theprecision alignment device 19 (for instance by (again) creating a vacuumat the grabber device 13 a and/or the loader head 13 a (and/or moreaccurately: underneath the grabber device 13 a and/or the loader head 13a).

Hereby the component 3 a and/or component-housing 11 a, inserted in thecentering recess 22, is pulled upwards against the direction of thearrow P shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and, as shown in FIG. 3, again held atthe underside 13 b of the grabber device 13 a (by now due to thecentering of the component 3 a in relation to the precision alignmentdevice 19, and the centering of the grabber device 13 a in relation tothe precision alignment device 19, for instance exactly in the middlebetween the above-mentioned centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d,i.e., in a way that exactly aligns it, in particular, centers it inrelation to the grabber device 13 a).

Next, by appropriately moving (for instance by swiveling and/orshifting) the grabber device 13 a and/or the loader head 13 a (forinstance initially upwards in the direction of the arrow S shown in FIG.2, and then laterally in the direction of the arrow T shown in FIG. 2and FIG. 5, etc.) the grabber device 13 a is held, while the vacuum ismaintained, for instance together with the centered and/or alignedcomponent 3 a and/or component-housing 11 a at the underside 13 b of thegrabber device 13 a, in position above a corresponding (burn-in) socketand/or (burn-in) adapter 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d (FIG. 5).

As is clear from FIG. 5, the (burn-in) adapters and/or sockets 12 a, 12b, 12 c, 12 d each has, in contrast to conventional (burn-in) socketsand/or adapters, a base element 24 but no cover (which in conventional(burn-in) sockets and/or adapters has been fitted above a correspondingbase element, and is vertically moveable in relation to the base element24, for instance in a vertical direction, due to spring elements fittedin between).

Furthermore the (burn-in) adapters and/or sockets 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12d, in contrast to conventional sockets and/or adapters, have no taperedcomponent guiding planes and/or “guide” devices.

The sockets and/or adapters 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d and/or moreaccurately: the sockets and/or adapter base elements 24 (used herewithout covers), can otherwise be constructed essentially similar oridentical to conventional “burn in” sockets and/or “burn in” adapters(and/or more accurately: to corresponding sockets and/or adapter baseelements), for instance correspondingly similar or identical to the baseelements of conventional “open top” sockets, in particular TSOP sockets(or for instance correspondingly similar or identical to the baseelements of FBGA “burn in” sockets, etc.), for instance correspondinglysimilar or identical to the burn in sockets base elements in the modelrange NP367 of the Yamaichi company (here for instance schematicallyrepresented).

As is apparent from FIG. 5 and is more closely described below, theopenings provided in the base element 24 (and used in conventionalsocket base elements for attaching springs) can in the presentembodiment be used as centering holes 23 a, 23 b, 23 c, 23 d (instead ofas attachment points for springs). Naturally, separate centeringopenings may also be provided in the base element 24 as an alternative.

The centering openings 23 a, 23 b, 23 c, 23 d have, similar to thecentering openings 20 a, 20 b, 20 c, 20 d provided in the precisionalignment device 19, a substantially circular cross-section, and runvertically downwards, with an essentially constant inside diameter, ineach case from corresponding corner areas on the upper side of the baseelement 24 of the socket and/or adapter—passing partially or whollythrough the entire base element 24.

As is clear from FIG. 5, the central vertical axes a of the centeringdevices 18 a, each passing through the middle of the conical sections 21a of the centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d, 18 b, 18 c, 18 dcoincide, when the grabber device 13 a is appropriately aligned, withthe corresponding central axes running vertically through thecorresponding centering openings 23 a, 23 b, 23 c, 23 d of the adapterand/or socket 12 a.

The inside diameter of each centering opening 23 a, 23 b, 23 c, 23 dessentially coincides, just as is the case with the correspondingcentering openings 20 a, 20 b, 20 c, 20 d of the precision alignmentdevice 19, with the maximum dimension of the outside diameter of theconical sections 21 b provided on each centering device 18 a, 18 b, 18c, 18 d (at the top end of the corresponding conical sections 21 b),i.e., with the outside diameter of the corresponding cylindricalsections 21 a of each centering device 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d.

As already described above, the grabber device 13 a and/or the loaderhead 13 a are attached by means of a “floating” bearing in relation tothe other parts of the machine 13.

When the grabber device 13 a is moved vertically downwards from thesetting shown in FIG. 5 above the adapter and/or socket 12 a, in thedirection of the arrow U, the centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 dprovided at the bottom of the grabber device 13 a, are inserted intoeach centering opening 23 a, 23 b, 23 c, 23 d of the socket and/oradapter 12 a.

As a result of the above-mentioned “floating” attachment of the grabberdevice 13 a (i.e. its ability to move laterally) the grabber device 13a, not yet exactly centered and/or aligned, is centered and/or alignedin relation to the adapter and/or socket 12 a as shown in FIG. 5 by thearrows X and Y, e.g., moved laterally to a certain extent, so that oncethe centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 b, 18 c have been inserted into thecentering openings 23 a, 23 b, 23 c, 23 d provided in each case, thecentral axes a of the centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 b, 18 c coincidewith the corresponding central axes of the centering openings 23 a, 23b, 23 c, 23 d of the socket and/or adapter 12 a. Conventional socketsand/or adapters (in particular the contacts and latches provided there)can be “opened” by means of appropriately depressing the adapter and/orsocket covers (in the direction of arrow V shown in FIG. 5) and afterthe adapter and/or socket covers have been released, can again be“closed”.

This function of the cover (in particular opening and closing theabove-mentioned socket contacts and latches) is taken over, in the caseof the present “coverless” socket and/or adapter 12 a, by the grabberdevice 13 a, in particular by the special attachments (shownschematically here) 28 a, 28 b, 28 c (and/or pins 28 a, 28 b, 28 c orstuds 28 a, 28 b, 28 c) which have been provided on the grabber device13 a in addition to the above-mentioned centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18c, 18 d.

These reach down vertically, as is apparent from FIGS. 2, 3 and 5,downward from the underside 13 b of the grabber device 13 a.

The attachments 28 a, 28 b, 28 c (and/or pins 28 a, 28 b, 28 c or studs28 a, 28 b, 28 c) may be constructed correspondingly similar oridentical to attachments and/or pins provided on the underside ofconventional socket and/or adapter covers, for instance similar oridentical to attachments and/or pins provided on conventional “open top”socket covers, in particular “burn-in” socket covers, for instance TSOPsocket covers (or for instance FBGA socket covers, etc.), or forinstance correspondingly similar or identical to the attachments and/orpins provided on the burn-in socket covers of sockets in the NP367 modelrange of the Yamaichi company (here, for example, schematicallyrepresented), etc. (in particular corresponding to the respective designof the socket base elements 24).

For example, tapered planes 29 (labeled in FIG. 6), can be provided onthe attachments 28 a, 28 b, 28 c and/or pins 28 a, 28 b, 28 c, similaror identical to attachments and/or pins provided at the underside ofconventional socket and/or adapter covers, with which in order to openand close the above-mentioned socket contacts and latches (mechanical)devices at the socket base element 24 can be operated.

In the present embodiment the grabber device 13 a is moved verticallydownwards, from the setting shown in FIG. 3 above the adapter and/orsocket 12 a in the direction of the arrow U, that the attachments 28 a,28 b, 28 c and/or pins 28 a, 28 b, 28 c provided at the bottom of thecover (correspondingly similarly to the attachments and/or pins providedon conventional sockets and/or adapters) “open” the sockets and/oradapters 12 a provided there.

Thereby for instance, correspondingly similar to conventional socketsand/or adapters, the vertical movement of the attachments 28 a, 28 b, 28c and/or pins 28 a, 28 b, 28 c (for instance arrow U, shown in FIGS. 5and 6) can be converted into an appropriate horizontal movement,corresponding to that of an operating mechanism (arrow Z, FIG. 6) bymeans of a corresponding mechanical device 30 provided at or attached tothe socket and/or adapter 12 a (for instance a device also containingthe corresponding tapered planes 31).

With the help of the mechanical device 30 and/or a correspondingoperating mechanism (and/or its movement in a horizontal direction) theshanks of a V-shaped contact terminal 32 of the socket and/or adapter 12a, (initially slightly) open towards the top end and pre-tensionedtowards a “closed” setting by means of corresponding spring devicesconnected to operating mechanism(s), can be moved apart (on a horizontalplane) thereby being prepared to receive a component and/or componenthousing connection (shown in FIG. 6 schematically as an example andrepresented in highly simplified form).

Advantageously the grabber device 13 a is forced downwards in thedirection of arrow U, until the component 3 a and/or component-housing11 a, still held, by the vacuum being maintained, at the underside 13 bof the grabber device 13 a touches the top of the base element 24 in theinner part of the socket 12 a, and the connections of the component 3 aand/or component housing 11 a are inserted into the corresponding (wideopen) contact terminals 32 of the socket and/or adapter 12 a. Then thevacuum is released and the component 3 a and/or component-housing 11 areleased.

In other words, the component 3 a and/or component-housing 11 a isgently placed into the adapter and/or socket 12 a, and not, as withconventional grabber devices, aligned with the help of tapered guideplanes provided at the sockets and/or adapter by being dropped into theadapter and/or socket.

This gentle placing action is possible because the component 3 a and/orthe component-housing 11 a has already been relatively accuratelyaligned in relation to the grabber device 13 a by means of the processdescribed above (i.e., at the precision alignment device 19), and byinserting the centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d of the grabberdevice 13 a into the centering openings 23 a, 23 b, 23 c, 23 d, providedat the socket and/or adapter 12 a, the grabber device 13 a isadditionally aligned with relatively high accuracy in relation to thesocket and/or adapter 12 a.

After the component 3 a and/or component housings 11 a have been placedinto sockets 12 a, the grabber device 13 a, with attachments and/or pins28 a, 28 b, 28 c (and the centering devices 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d) isretracted, vertically upwards, whereby (in corresponding fashion, as ifthe cover of a conventional adapter and/or socket 12 a had beenreleased, i.e., moved upwards again) the adapter and/or socket 12 and/orthe contacts and latches provided there is “locked” again.

In this way secure electrical contact is made between the terminalsprovided on each component 3 a (and/or component housing 11 a) and theterminals provided at the adapter and/or socket 12 a (for instance bythe shank of the above-mentioned V-shaped contact terminal 32, againreleased by attachments and/or pins 28 a, 28 b, 28 c, being forced, bymeans of spring pressure provided by the above-mentioned spring devicesagainst a component and/or component housing contact, which has beeninserted into contact terminal 32).

In similar fashion to that described above, the grabber device 13 a (orit being the case the above further grabber device) can load a multitudeof further adapters and/or sockets 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, and/or thecomponent-housings 11 b, 11 c, 11 d etc., similarly constructed to thesocket and/or adapter 12 a shown in FIG. 5, with components 3 b, 3 c, 3d, etc. (for instance at a rate of more than 100 or 1,000 adaptersand/or sockets per hour).

In each case, several of these sockets and/or adapters 12 a, 12 b, 12 c,12 d (for instance more than 50, 100 or 200 sockets and/or adapters 12a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d) have been connected, as can be seen in FIG. 1, toone and the same card 14 and/or board 14 at testing station D (and/or toone and the same test card and/or test board 14) (for instance more than50, 100 or 200 sockets and/or adapters 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d).

The test-board 14 (and thereby also the semiconductor components 3 a, 3b, 3 c, 3 d and/or housing 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d loaded into thesockets and/or adapters 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d) are loaded, as shown inFIG. 1, with the help of an appropriate machine into an “oven” 15 thatcan be shut (and/or into an apparatus 15, with which extreme conditionscan be created for the above semiconductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d(for instance increased temperatures, for instance above 70° C., 100°C., or 150° C., and/or increased component operating voltages, etc.)).

The test-card 14 and/or the test board 14 is in each case, in theconventional manner, connected to a test apparatus 4, for instance bymeans of lines 16.

This causes the test signals being generated by the test apparatus 4 tobe relayed, for instance by means of the above lines 16, to the testcard 14, and from there to the sockets 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, and theirsocket contact pins (not shown here) by means of the card contacts.

From the sockets 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d the test signals are thenrelayed via the above socket connections and the housing connectionsmaking contact with them, to the housings 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d, andfrom there via the above housing contacts and the semiconductorcomponent contacts making contact with them, to the semiconductorcomponents 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d to be tested.

The signals emitted in reaction to the test signals applied tocorresponding semiconductor component contacts are then scanned byhousing contacts (in contact with them) and led via the sockets 12 a, 12b, 12 c, 12 d, the card 14 and lines 16 to the test apparatus 4, wherethe signals can then be evaluated.

Thereby the test system 1, which includes, among other things, the testapparatus 4, the card 14 and the sockets 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, canperform a conventional test procedure, for instance a conventional“burn-in” test (or several similar tests in succession), in which and/orin the course of which for instance the functionality of thesemiconductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d can be evaluated (forinstance while or after the semiconductor components are being or havebeen subjected to the above-mentioned extreme conditions in the above“oven 15 or the apparatus 15 for a relatively long period of time (forinstance for more than 30 minutes, and/or more than one hour)).

1. A mechanism for loading a socket with a semiconductor component,comprising a device for opening the socket.
 2. The mechanism accordingto claim 1, wherein contacts provided at the socket are opened by thedevice for opening the socket.
 3. The mechanism according to claim 1,wherein the device for opening the socket is an attachment to themechanism which is provided with a corresponding tapered plane.
 4. Themechanism according to claim 1, wherein the device is designed such thatwhen the mechanism is moved toward the socket, contacts provided at thesocket are opened by the device.
 5. The mechanism according to claim 1,further comprising an aligning device that aligns the mechanism inrelation to the socket.
 6. The mechanism according to claim 5, whereinthe aligning device has a tapered plane.
 7. The mechanism according toclaim 6, wherein the aligning device has a conical section.
 8. Themechanism according to claim 7, wherein the aligning device is a recessprovided at the mechanism.
 9. The mechanism according to claim 5,wherein the socket comprises a further alignment facilitating mechanism.10. The mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the aligning deviceattached to the mechanism is additionally used for aligning themechanism in relation to a precision alignment device.
 11. A socket forsemiconductor components, comprising a base element and contacts to beopened by a semiconductor component loading mechanism for loading thesocket.
 12. The socket according to claim 11, wherein a mechanicaldevice is provided for opening the socket.
 13. The socket according toclaim 11, further comprising a facility for aligning the semiconductorcomponent loading mechanism in relation to the socket.
 14. The socketaccording to claim 13, wherein the facility is a recess provided at thesocket.
 15. The socket according to claim 13, wherein, to align themechanism in relation to the socket, the mechanism is provided with adevice, working in conjunction with the alignment facility provided atthe socket.
 16. A process for loading a socket with a correspondingsemiconductor component, comprising opening contacts in the socket witha socket loading mechanism.
 17. The process according to claim 16,wherein the socket loading mechanism has a tapered plane.
 18. Theprocess according to claim 16, wherein the socket loading mechanismmoves toward the contacts in the socket, which are opened by the socketloading mechanism.
 19. The process according to claim 16, furthercomprising aligning the socket loading mechanism in relation to thesocket.
 20. The process according to claim 19, wherein the aligning isachieved by means of an alignment device provided on the socket loadingmechanism.
 21. The process according to claim 20, wherein the alignmentdevice has a tapered plane.
 22. The process according to claim 20,wherein, to align the socket loading mechanism in relation to thesocket, a facility provided in the socket that works in conjunction withthe alignment device provided at the mechanism.
 23. The processaccording to claim 22, further comprising: moving the loading socketmechanism toward the socket; and inserting the attachment provided atthe mechanism into the recess provided at the socket.
 24. The processaccording to claim 23, further comprising aligning the mechanism inrelation to a precision alignment device with assistance of thealignment device provided at the mechanism.